Stakeholders emphasize credibility for upcoming Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi gubernatorial elections

In preparation for the upcoming governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi on November 11, stakeholders have emphasized the importance of credible, free, and fair polls. This call to action came during a stakeholders meeting organized by the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room in Abuja.

Sen. Sharafadeen Alli, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, stressed the need for security agencies to review their operational mechanisms to ensure the impartiality of their personnel during the elections. He highlighted that a commitment from both security officials and citizens is vital to improving the electoral system.

Alli encouraged eligible voters to resist manipulation by desperate politicians, as such manipulation could disrupt the entire electoral process. He emphasized the significance of citizens’ voices in electoral matters, urging them to perform their civic responsibility without submitting to manipulations.

Yunusa Ya’u, the Convener of the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room, emphasized the importance of credibility in shaping Nigeria’s electoral democracy trajectory. He expressed concern about decreasing voter turnout and the need to rebuild confidence among Nigerians in the electoral process.

Mr. Obo Effanga, the Bayelsa INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), revealed that the police had promised to deploy 27,000 personnel for election security. He also mentioned that Bayelsa residents had collected 1,017,613 Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) out of the 1,056,862 printed for newly registered voters across the state’s 105 wards. Effanga assured that INEC had trained 223 Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs), all of whom were INEC staff, to prevent unprofessional conduct during the election.